Parent Volunteer Opportunities

Officials: Officials must be non-athlete members of USA Swimming and have gone through officials training, passed the official’s test, and completed apprentice sessions as required by IN Swimming and USA Swimming. Official positions for the meet are assigned by the Meet Referee. Officials uphold the rules of competition at the meet.  

Lane Timers: Records the swimmer’s time during the swim meet sessions.  Each timer is provided with a stopwatch, clipboard with timing sheets, and assigned a lane to clock the swimmers progress from start to finish.  All times are recorded on the timing sheet that corresponds to the swimmer’s name, event, and heat.  There is a minimum of 2 timers for each lane.

Head Timer: Confirm enough timers in each lane at least 5-10 minutes before start and throughout the meet.  Start 2 backup stopwatches at the beginning of each race and trade with timers as needed in the event they have a watch malfunction.  Help keep unnecessary people away from the starting area and maybe asked to train timers.

Runner: Assist in collecting sign-in sheets during warmup and delivering them to the Administrative Official. Coordinate with head timer to pass out stopwatches, clipboards/timing sheets, and confirm required number of timers available.  Collect timing sheets after each event throughout the meet and provide them to the Meet Manager for recording.  This position may also be required to post heat sheets and/or results on the wall for swimmers and spectators.

Meet Manager Operator (Time Verification/Computer Operator):  This person operates the Meet Manager computer software, which receives the times from the timing system for every race. This person is responsible for the verification of the race times, comparing the electronic timing system to the backup times from the lane timers. Typically, an Administrative Official (AO) serves in this role, but if the operator is not, then he/she will work with the AO to be sure that all processes and time rectifications are done within the rules of USA Swimming. This person will also process any scratches before the session starts, seed the meet, create the heat sheets for coaches and officials, and create the lane timer sheets.  The person filling this role must have a thorough understanding of the Meet Manager software (training can be provided).  

Timing Equipment/Computer Operator: Runs the timing console ensuring the equipment is running properly, records the race numbers for each heat, and assures the timing system is reset and ready for the start of each heat/event.

Announcer: Makes various announcements before, during, and after the swim meet to swimmers, parents, volunteers, officials, and coaches.

Deck/Meet Marshals: Ensures the pool area is safe for swimmers, coaches, officials, and volunteers.  Marshals actively monitor hallways, locker room entrances/exits, and the pool deck throughout the venue.  Other responsibilities include confirming only credentialed swimmers, coaches, officials and meet volunteers are allowed on deck along with regular locker room checks.  All Marshals are required to be 18 years or older and wear identifying attire. A Marshal training is provided through USA Swimming. Marshals are required for all meets and report to the Meet Referee if there are any concerns or issues discovered. 

Check-In (Swimmers):  This person will monitor the swimmer check in sheets and make sure that all swimmers check in before they enter the pool deck. This person also serves as crowd control as the check in line tends to be long when the doors open. This person will work with the Runners to get completed sign in sheets to the Meet Manager Operator to complete the scratch process.

Check-In (Volunteers):  This person will greet and check-in anyone who will be assisting with running the meet (coaches, officials, and volunteers).  Checking official credentials, confirming proper sign-in, and helping guide/direct the volunteers is expected.  The Volunteer Check-in role works closely with the Volunteer Coordinator in confirming all volunteer positions have been accounted for.

Hospitality: Ensures the food area is properly stocked, cleaned, and ready for each swim session.  This position will provide food and drink to the coaches, officials, and other volunteer workers during the swim meet.  Utilizing an established budget, the hospitality volunteers may be required to plan and coordinate the required food served that supports the number of volunteer workers.

Awards:  This position requires labeling, sorting, and distributing awards to the respective swimmers and/or swim clubs.  These individuals will be provided the award labels by the Meet Manager Operator when results are finalized for events and sorts the awards by team for distribution at the end of the meet.

Clerk of Course (only in specific meets):  Organize swimmers into heats and lanes based on the heat sheets.  This individual is critical in keeping a smooth transition from one heat to the next while sending the swimmers to the starting blocks in an organized manner.

Heat Winner:  Determines the winner of each individual event heat and awards the swimmer a heat winner award.  This position may be combined with other positions.

Volunteer Coordinator: Manages the recruitment, organization, and training of many meet volunteers.  A large swim meet may need a committee to manage the volunteer meet worker needs.  This position runs, oversees, the volunteer check-in area at the meet along with the volunteer check-in position.  They will let volunteers know when and where to report, answer questions, and ensure training/problem solving.

Set-Up & Clean-Up: Usually the busy times of the meet are at the beginning and the end of the meet. Having parent volunteers to show up before the crowd to set up the pool, and/or stick around to help clean-up the pool after a busy competition, really helps the coaching staff. Beleive me, their is not much worse than coaching all day, then finding yourself washing the deck, taking the pads out, and cleaning the bleachers!

Floater:  Fill in for roles as needed, whether for absences or meet needs.  If not needed at the start of the swim meet, you will be considered on-call during the meet.

Officials

Running a swim meet takes a great deal of volunteers, but one of the most important volunteer roles is that of the officials. USA Swimming has minimum requirements for the number of officials that must be on duty at all times of the meet for the results to be official. Officials must go through a training course, pass a test, and complete apprentice sessions at meets to become certified. The officials make sure that the meet is run and all swims are done in accordance with the rules of USA Swimming. If you are interested in more information on becoming an official, contact Coach Lott.